New restaurant manager is taking the job in his stride

The hotel, in Russell-Cotes Road, has been family run for 29 years and was named Large Hotel of the Year at the Bournemouth Tourism Awards 2016.

Peter Stafford’s new role sees him overseeing the running of the 87-bedroom hotel’s silver service restaurant.

He said: “I love meeting all sorts of people. I like to chat and make them feel welcome and most of all I like to make sure they enjoy great food, so the Marsham Court is the ideal place for me to be.”

Peter is the former assistant restaurant manager at Bournemouth’s House of Fraser store restaurant, where he received an impressive nine customer service awards.

He continued: “Like House of Fraser, the Marsham Court has a great number of repeat customers who know the hotel and its staff inside and out and expect the best service, so I’ve already had to explain who I am and where I’m from a fair few times!”

Peter, 43, and originally from Gravesend in Kent, came to Bournemouth as a day tripper when he was 21 – and never left.

He trained as a chef, working at the Bournemouth Marriott and the town’s former Woodcroft Tower Hotel, before moving into restaurant management.

He is married with a four-year-old son.

He added: “As you would expect from such a well-established family hotel, the Marsham Court’s restaurant runs like clockwork. However, I have already implemented a new pre-ordering system for large dining groups which is working well, and I’m also looking forward to tweaking other areas to make the service even better.”

Rosie Wallace, Managing Director of the Marsham Court said: “As soon as I met Peter I knew I wanted him for the job.

“We have a hugely diverse clientele who require a friendly, personal and highly competent restaurant manager – Peter is all that and more and I am confident his ideas will also help to drive the business forward.”